Wild vs. Sabres: The Minnesota Wild carry a perfect 2-0-0 record into KeyBank Center on Tuesday night, and the Buffalo Sabres will have their hands full trying to slow down Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild forward scored twice in Minnesota’s 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday, and he now leads the team with three goals and three points through two games. Buffalo sits at 1-1-0 and enters off a 4-3 comeback win over the Chicago Blackhawks in its home opener.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET, with the Wild looking to keep pace atop a crowded Central Division and the Sabres trying to build on a rally that snapped a two-game slide.
Wild Vs Sabres Game Information
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, MSGB, MINNHL
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
By The Numbers
- Goals against average: Wild 1.00, Sabres 4.50
- Save percentage: Wild .957, Sabres .784
- Total shots on goal: Wild 60, Sabres 54
- Shots against: Wild 47, Sabres 38
- Shooting percentage: Wild 11.7%, Sabres 13.0%
- Power-play goals: Wild 3, Sabres 0
- Faceoff percentage: Wild 49.6%, Sabres 48.4%
- Penalty minutes: Wild 14, Sabres 15
Wild Outlook
Minnesota has allowed just two goals across its first two games, a 1.00 goals-against average that ranks among the stingiest marks in the league. That defensive foundation held up even after the Wild dropped three straight to close the preseason stretch, including an overtime loss to Chicago and back-to-back defeats to Dallas, before reeling off wins over Nashville and Boston to open the regular season.
Kaprizov has been the catalyst, and Blake Coleman gave the Wild another weapon in his team debut, scoring the power-play game-winner against Nashville after arriving in an offseason trade from Calgary, according to CBS Sports. Minnesota’s power play has already produced three goals on the season, a sharp early uptick after last year’s 25.2% success rate, per FOX Sports.
Jesper Wallstedt is expected to start in goal with Filip Gustavsson sidelined. Minnesota placed Gustavsson on injured reserve following hip surgery, with a return date targeted around Nov. 1. Defenseman Brock Faber remains on injured reserve after skull surgery, and forward Danila Yurov is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Sabres Outlook
Buffalo enters banged up on the back end and in net. Starting goalie Alex Lyon sits on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, and backup options are thin with Topias Leinonen also on IR with a lower-body issue. Colten Ellis is projected to start Tuesday as a result.
The Sabres have been inconsistent through four games this season, alternating wins and losses, including a 6-3 loss at Columbus sandwiched between victories over Columbus and Chicago. Buffalo’s 4.50 goals-against average and .784 save percentage reflect a defense that has leaked goals early, though Jiri Kulich’s go-ahead strike against Chicago, his first goal in nearly a calendar year after missing 70 games last season with blood clot issues, gave the Sabres a much-needed spark, per ESPN‘s recap of that game.
Buffalo is also without defensemen Conor Timmins (lower body) and Jack Rathbone (undisclosed) and forward Jason Zucker, who is recovering from abdomen surgery. All three are on injured reserve.
Key Matchup
Minnesota’s suffocating defense against Buffalo’s shaky goaltending is the matchup that will shape this game. The Wild have surrendered only two goals all season behind a .957 team save percentage, while the Sabres have allowed 4.50 goals per game and posted a .784 mark in net with their top two goalies, Lyon and Leinonen, both on injured reserve. If Kaprizov and the Wild forwards generate the kind of volume they did against Boston, Ellis will be tested behind a Buffalo blue line already missing Timmins and Rathbone. Buffalo’s counter is its own finishing touch, a 13.0% shooting percentage that has carried it through two wins despite periodic defensive breakdowns.
What To Watch
Minnesota is one of three Central Division teams tied atop the standings with four points through two games, alongside Colorado and Utah, and a win in Buffalo would keep the Wild unbeaten as the division race takes shape. For the Sabres, building consistency matters more than any single result this early, especially with Buffalo trying to protect home ice at KeyBank Center while managing injuries to five players, including both of its top two goaltenders. How Ellis holds up against Minnesota’s balanced attack could offer an early read on Buffalo’s depth in net for the weeks ahead.
Reporting from FOX Sports, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN contributed to this story. Official statistics: ESPN (official league data).
